Recent reports have suggested that abnormal miR-29c expression in hippocampus have been implicated in the pathophysiology of some nervous system disease. However, many aspects underlying mechanism of miR-29c in regulating cellular functions in hippocampal neurons are not clear. In this study, HT22 cells were infected with lentivirus containing miR-29c or miR-29c sponge. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay kit were applied to evaluate cell viability and toxicity before and after TNF-α application. The intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration were evaluated using dihydroethidium (DHE) staining and the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was determined using Tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester (TMRM) staining. Cellular apoptosis was observed via TUNEL staining assay and Hoechst 33258 staining and measured by the expression of cleaved caspase-3, -8 and − 9. The expression of miR-29c and TNFR1, Bcl-2, Bax, TRADD and FADD was analyzed by PCR or WB. As a result, we found that miR-29c overexpression signi cantly attenuated decreases in cell viability, release of LDH and apoptosis in TNF-α-treated HT22 cells. Furthermore, the high expression of miR-29c can signi cantly prevented TNF-α-induced oxidative injuries via the decrease of intracellular ROS levels and the increase of MMP. TNF-α-induced increase in Bax and cleaved-caspase-9 and the decrease of Bcl-2 was attenuated after transfection of HT22 cells with miR-29c. Moreover, over-expression of miR-29c signi cantly inhibits the increased expression of TNFR1, TRADD, FADD, cleaved caspase-8 and − 3. However, in HT22 cells transfected with miR-29c sponge, TNF-α-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress, as well as elevated expression of TNFR1, TRADD and FADD were exacerbated. Our ndings indicated that miR-29c overexpression attenuates TNF-α-induced HT22 cells injury through inhibiting mitochondrial oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. In addition, TNF-αinduced TNFR1 activation, FADD association and caspase 8 recruitment may be impaired by miR-29c. Therefore, miR-29c might be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of TNF-α-induced neurotoxicity.